


under the influence (of love)

by sproutsungs



Category: Produce 101 (TV), X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends, Birthday, Clubbing, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Memories, Mild Language, Super Light Angst, everyone gets drunk except hangyul, maknae line appears but they aren't mentioned by name, seungyul just really love each other, there's one kiss, yohan and wooseok kinda have a thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22038430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sproutsungs/pseuds/sproutsungs
Summary: tonight, hangyul and his friends are celebrating his boyfriend, seungyoun's, birthday. as they move from bar to bar and revisit memories as a couple, hangyul feels himself falling more and more in love with seungyoun, but seungyoun spends the entire night forgetting more and more that the handsome boy on his arm is his.
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Lee Hangyul
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47
Collections: Midnight Stories 2019 Fanfic Collection





	under the influence (of love)

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! before we start, i'd just like to recommend that you play the song "dance, baby!" by boy pablo while you're reading the scene in the club. it helps the mood (it's what i listened to while writing).

Hangyul has been with his boyfriend for long enough to know exactly what he's like when he's drunk. And right now, Seungyoun is clearly faking.

All five of them are sitting around a table: Seungwoo, Yohan, Wooseok, Seungyoun, and Hangyul. They're all staring intently at each other, silent save for the sound of grilling meat and yelling a few tables down.

Seungwoo suddenly raises an eyebrow, contorting his face into something out of a French movie poster, and Seungyoun bursts out giggling.

Wooseok crosses his arms defiantly. "I'm not drinking."

"You have to! Those are the rules: take a shot when drunk Seungyoun giggles. He just giggled. Drink." Seungwoo looks expectantly at the shorter man.

"That was clearly a laugh, not a giggle."

"I don't know, it seemed pretty high-pitched to me," chimes in Yohan after taking a shot.

"Just take the damn shot, Wooseok, I know you can handle the alcohol. And besides," Seungyoun flashes his best puppy eyes at the younger, "It's my birthday. Pretty please?"

Wooseok rolls his eyes playfully and fights a smile. "Fine, only because it's my favorite hyung's birthday," he says with a pointed glance at Seungwoo, who scoffs with mock indignation.

"Hey, Hangyul," Seungwoo says with a nod, changing the subject. "Don't think we're letting you off the hook. Take your shot."

"I would," replies Hangyul, drawing it out. "But it seems like Seungyoun over here isn't actually drunk."

"Oh, please," slurs Seungyoun. "Do you even know how much I had to drink? Cause I don't!" He laughs.

"Not a giggle!" interjects Wooseok.

Hangyul chuckles dryly. "Seungyoun, you drank, like, two shots, there’s no way you're drunk. And besides, your fake slurring abilities are horrendous."

Seungyoun flashes a wry smile. "Fine, fine, maybe I'm not drunk. Is it wrong of me to want to see my wonderful friends have fun?" he asks with mock pity.

"Hyung!" whines Yohan. "That was my fifth shot! What if I get drunk before we even get to the bar?"

"Yohan, I promise I'll carry you inside if I need to." Wooseok pats him on the back. 

"Very brave. Very kind," deadpans Yohan.

Seungwoo laughs. "Wooseok, I'd like to see you try. Your skinny ass carrying 66 kg of muscle?" He nods at Yohan.

"You underestimate me," says Wooseok, flexing a bicep.

In response, Hangyul shows off his own, and Wooseok just rolls his eyes.

"Sorry, Yohan, but my man"—Seungyoun wraps a hand around Hangyul's muscles—"is stronger than yours will ever be."

"Good thing I'm never going to date Wooseok, then," responds Yohan with a wink.

Seungyoun coughs to cover up his laugh. (It doesn't work; he gets a glare from both Yohan and Wooseok.)

Seungwoo breaks the subsequent silence with a change of subject: "Hey, Hangyul, I think it's time you finally tell us how you met Seungyoun."

"Oh, God," says Seungyoun quietly. "We said we would tell you after I turned 25."

"You idiot, this is your 25th birthday," laughs Wooseok.

Seungyoun furrows his brow and then nods sheepishly. "That it is. But trust me, this story is wild. You might not want to be our friends anymore after this," he remarks sarcastically.

Hangyul chuckles, grabbing Seungyoun's hand. "He's kidding. It's really not all that dramatic; I'm not even sure why we made up that rule in the first place."

"Just tell us the damn story already," says Yohan with mock impatience.

"Okay, okay," replies Seungyoun, taking a swig from his soju bottle and leaning back in his chair. "It all started with a coffee shop."

Hangyul tilts his head. "No, it started with the dog."

"Oh yeah, the dog," grins Seungyoun. "So, this was maybe two years ago. Hangyul was about to start his first year of college, I was about to start my senior year. To balance my internship, I needed a job, and I applied at this dog-walking company. Somehow I got hired, even though I told them that I’m allergic to almost half the dogs their clients have. Maybe they didn’t have enough workers, I don’t know. Anyway, it’s my first day at work and I show up at this woman’s door, ready to take her dog. It’s tiny, a little brown poodle. I don’t remember the name, I-”

“Hanbyul!” interjects Hangyul. He remembers that day like it was yesterday. He had been working at the same company, and he and Seungyoun had been assigned to walk the same dog. She was surprisingly fussy, and it had taken practically an hour just to give her the exercise her owner claimed she needed. But the event had brought Seungyoun and Hangyul together, and had led them on more adventures with dogs. They had endured huge Golden Retrievers dragging them around the city, being stuck out in the rain with Yorkshire terriers, and sitting at the dog park for hours on end, just enjoying the dogs’ company (which soon turned into them enjoying each other’s company). 

Hangyul would watch the dogs with Seungyoun, both enthralled with every move they made. Seungyoun would tug on Hangyul’s sleeve when two dogs were being particularly cute, and they’d both keep up with which dogs didn’t like each other and which did. Sometimes, though, Hangyul would just sit back and watch Seungyoun. It was adorable, really, the way his eyes glittered when he saw pets reunite with their friends, and the way he would act all polite when a dog offered him a ball.

He watches Seungyoun like that now, as he’s telling their friends all the stories that led them to become boyfriends. Seungyoun is sitting up in his chair, animatedly gesturing as he talks about one of the many times they had had to run after a loose dog. Yohan keeps laughing and asking nonsensical questions (Hangyul is pretty sure those five shots have started to get to him), and Wooseok and Seungwoo keep looking at each other every time Seungyoun answers completely seriously.

Hangyul supposes that this is how he fell in love. Seungyoun is so bright and complex and eminently himself that Hangyul has never had any choice but to orbit around Seungyoun like he’s the sun, and Hangyul is content with that. This is how it’s always been, their comfortable balance as a couple. 

Hangyul knows he was the one to fall in love first. When he had returned to college that autumn, he entered the dining hall—there were maybe 400 people there—and his gaze had been drawn right to Seungyoun. Hangyul had never really believed in soulmates, but at that moment he had at least known that he was truly in love. Of course, Seungyoun had been the one to confess first (though it was more of a formality; at that point they were practically living in the same dorm room). But Hangyul has always known, without a doubt, that he fell for Seungyoun first, and he keeps that little secret like he and Seungyoun keep the little box of pebbles they collect every time they go on a bike ride together.

Hangyul could honestly say that he falls in love with Seungyoun every day, and today is no exception. There was always another little thing that Hangyul would notice about Seungyoun that would make him appreciate his boyfriend just a tiny bit more than he already did. Tonight, it was the fact that Seungyoun had managed to keep holding on to his hand throughout the entire 45-minute-long story of their relationship’s history.

"And that," says Seungyoun dramatically, raising their clasped hands in the air, "is how we became a couple." He lowers them and turns to Hangyul with a loving smile.

Yohan begins to clap enthusiastically, and Seungwoo and Wooseok join in after a beat.

"Thank you, thank you," says Seungyoun, tipping an invisible hat. "Any questions?"

Wooseok stands up and stretches, and Seungwoo tips the last of his soju down his throat. Yohan, still seated, looks wide-eyed up at Seungyoun and Hangyul.

"That was a weird story," he slurs.

"You're weird," Hangyul shoots back, half teasing and half because he wants to see Yohan's reaction.

"Hey, that's not nice!" exclaims Yohan indignantly. He seems like he's about to say more, but ends up clumsily walking out of the restaurant, leaving the rest of his friends to follow.

Hangyul laughs. _Yohan is such a lightweight_ , he thinks. _But then again, that's going to be the rest of them too in a few hours._

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They find themselves in a bar a few blocks away just as the last orange brushstrokes of the sunset give way to the inky night sky. It’s dark and crowded, dozens of overlapping voices providing background music as the five men sit down in a large booth.

There’s a band setting up in the front of the hall: five scrawny boys that look completely out of place under the ultraviolet lights. The keyboardist on the left is barely tall enough to reach his microphone, the drummer in the back seems comically too big for his drum set, and Wooseok laughs almost mockingly. 

“They look like they’re still in high school. What are they going to do, sing us the alphabet?”

Next to Hangyul, Seungyoun tenses. “Hey, leave them alone. You never know.”

Hangyul recalls Seungyoun’s own past, two years in a garage band playing gigs just like these before enrolling in university for music theory and production. Music’s been basically his whole life, the most important of his many passions. So Hangyul takes his boyfriend’s side and echoes his words, hoping that the band will end up exceeding Wooseok’s expectations and proving him wrong.

Luckily, they do. With a burst of guitar and drums, they introduce themselves as Xanadu and begin a rebellious, angry, and downright badass number. 

They all seem so into the music: the lead vocalist is holding on to the mic like it's his lifeline, deep voice reverberating through it and blond hair flying back and forth. Their drummer is a perfect fit for the drums now, bopping his head to the beat and moving his drumsticks so fast they blur. The bassist looks out at the audience, curly hair bouncing ever so slightly as he plucks his notes, his big brown eyes looking more soulful than ever. The keyboardist is having the time of his life as his small, slender hands fly over the keys, lips pressed to his microphone. And the guitarist seems perhaps the most passionate of all, dyed red hair in full view as he bends down over his decked-out guitar, moving his hands to the chords like he's lifting a mountain.

Hangyul can't take his eyes off them. They've transformed themselves, going from gangly kids in too-big leather jackets to completely owning the stage. This, he supposes, is what Seungyoun loves so much about music. It's cathartic, overpowering, envelops your whole soul and doesn't let go.

Once the song ends, Seungyoun raises an eyebrow at Wooseok, who nods as if to acknowledge that he was wrong. Seungwoo immediately begins gushing about the vocalist's tone (he's been known to sing a few times and is always the star of a noraebang session), and Yohan, who seems to be sobering up somewhat, is trying and failing to interject in his monologue.

"That was surprisingly good," remarks Hangyul. "Seungyoun, did you like it?"

There's a funny look on Seungyoun's face, and he doesn't respond until after the waitress has served them their drinks.

"That was me, you know? I was just like that at their age. A dreamer in a group of dreamers, passion fueled by more passion. I see myself in those kids and I see my own love for music. I see a bright future for them and I wish them the best of luck. The music doesn't matter nearly half as much as the motivation does, and these kids are going places, I know it."

"I'll drink to that," says Yohan, raising his glass. Seungwoo raises his too, and the others follow, save for Seungyoun, who just looks out at the stage. Hangyul follows his gaze to the bassist, who's currently giggling as if he hadn't been performing just three minutes ago.

"What?" he whispers to his boyfriend.

"There's something about that kid. I don't know what it is, but there's real potential in him, I know it. Just… the way he looked out at the audience."

Hangyul nods in agreement and sits back to watch as another song begins. It's slower this time, and he takes Seungyoun's hand in his, interlacing their fingers. Seungyoun leans his head on Hangyul's shoulder, still intently watching the young artists.

It's comforting, really. The five of them, already on paths of their own, watching these five boys with their whole future ahead of them.

Sometimes Hangyul catches himself wondering what things would be like if he had taken a different path; but Seungyoun keeps him grounded. Seungyoun's gravity is enough to make him stop wondering and think about all the things he has that he doesn't want to lose. And right now, this moment, this is something he doesn't want to lose.

The song ends and Hangyul stays there, leaning on his boyfriend's shoulder. There’s a comfortable silence, broken occasionally by the soft thunk of a bottle to the table. Hangyul hasn't moved, though. He won't be drinking much tonight anyway, as Seungyoun named him the designated driver (and who would he be to argue with Seungyoun on his birthday?)

The ambience of the bar is enough to make Hangyul want to fall asleep where he is. The guitarist is quietly tuning his instrument, the chatter has faded to a level din. Hangyul just has to close his eyes.

"Hey, sleepyhead, wake up," murmurs Seungyoun, running a hand through Hangyul's hair. He sits up quickly and looks around.

"Oh no… was I asleep?" he asks, slightly concerned. Who falls asleep at a bar, of all places?

"No," laughs Seungwoo, who's sitting next to him. "You looked like you were about to be, though."

"Have a drink, it'll keep you awake," offers Yohan.

"You just don't want to be the only tipsy one," pokes Wooseok.

Yohan humphs and hands Hangyul his bottle anyway. He takes a sip, and it's like the clear liquid is biting at his throat on the way down.

"Thanks."

"That better have woken you up, or else I just wasted a sip of my precious soju." Yohan clutches the bottle as if it's his baby.

Wooseok snorts. "Yohan, if you weren't drunk before, you definitely are now."

"Am not! I only had half a bottle!" He pauses, looks down, and shakes the bottle he's holding (spoiler alert: it's empty). "Okay, maybe I had a whole bottle. But still, I'm not drunk! I can walk in a straight line—look."

Yohan gets up out of his seat and tries to pass by the booth. He ends up bumping into Wooseok's seat and sits back down, arms crossed.

"That line was as straight as you are," jokes Seungwoo.

Yohan slaps him.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night is still young, and Yohan is still drunk, so he leads the other four to a fancier bar (fancier meaning they actually serve food). Hangyul, walking behind everyone as they enter, feels somewhat like a dog rounding up a herd of sheep; except he's the only one sober in a group of drunk (or at least tipsy) men. Even Wooseok, who has the highest tolerance of them all, is on his way there. Everything's catching up to them now.

Hangyul ends up as the babysitter, finding seats and ordering for everyone; he doesn't trust any of them to order something that's not alcohol, and they need to eat along with all the drinking.

After they've all settled down, Hangyul takes a look around. It's rather quaint: a lot more friendly and casual than the other bar. He supposes it's a nice place to be drunk—it doesn't feel lonely at all, and there are even a few lights on.

His friends mostly seem to be zoning out, though. Wooseok has his legs out from underneath the table, leaning sideways on the shoulder of a blank-faced Seungwoo. Yohan is looking up at the ceiling as if he hasn't seen light in years. Seungyoun is a little bit restless, tapping his feet on the floor and his beer glass on the table.

"Hey, guys," Hangyul says. It's clear he's going to have to lead this conversation. "Why don't we all talk about Seungyoun? It is his birthday, after all. How about we go around the table and tell each other our favorite memories of him?"

His friends seem to perk up at this, specifically Wooseok. "I have a good one," he says eagerly. "I'll go first."

"The floor's all yours," replies Hangyul.

Wooseok smirks. "This was back in our senior year of college. It was around Christmas, I think, and it was snowing. The big snowflakes, the kind you can make snowmen from."

It dawns on Hangyul what memory Wooseok is talking about. He smiles fondly at it—they had gotten in so much trouble, but it had been worth it.

It was the day after their 100-day anniversary, and Hangyul was leaving a lecture. Upon walking back to their dorm, he had encountered a gigantic crowd gathered in the snowy campus square. Pushing his way around them, he could hear Seungyoun's and Wooseok's voices. He had no idea what was going on and continued on his way, assuming he'd talk to his boyfriend about it when they met up.

Ten minutes and two missed calls later, he found himself standing in the middle of a huge snowball fight with practically a quarter of the students on campus involved. He ran to Seungyoun and Wooseok immediately, dodging dozens of snowballs.

"What the hell is going on?” Hangyul laughed almost incredulously. “Did you two organize this?"

Seungyoun didn't look away from his target as he smiled proudly. "We sure did. Now come on, don't be a killjoy!" He and Wooseok proceeded to shove several snowballs into Hangyul's arms and continued attacking people, shouting jumbled curses and grinning from ear to ear. 

Hangyul took one look at his boyfriend's flushed, snow-covered face, and threw a snowball at him.

"Now you're talking," smirked Seungyoun, turning around and throwing one right back.

Wooseok finishes up his story and chugs half of his beer, laughing quietly like one laughs at their own joke.

"That was one of the best days of my college life," states Seungyoun dreamily. "But _damn_ did we get chewed out afterwards by the dean.”

"'Be respectful adults' my ass, I just wanted to have some fun," adds Wooseok. "Guess we've left those days behind, though."

Seungyoun nods thoughtfully. "Hey, Seungwoo, what's your favorite memory of me?"

"Good question," says Seungwoo. He thinks about it for a moment, and then blurts: "I know! The rollercoaster!"

Hangyul shakes his head and grins. He knows exactly what's coming next.

Last summer, the five of them had gone to Lotte World before break ended. Apparently, the one thing Hangyul had not known about his boyfriend was that he hated amusement parks. Explained why they hadn't gone on any dates there before.

Seungyoun had only agreed to go for the food and the experience, but somehow the combined power of three friends and one boyfriend made him decide to go on one ride. Seungwoo had chosen which ride, and he had picked the biggest, scariest roller coaster in the whole park. Or so Seungyoun said. It was actually one of the smallest roller coasters there, but to him any ride was scary, and this one was no exception.

He sat next to Seungwoo on the ride and began screaming as soon as it started. He held Seungwoo's hand the entire time, closed his eyes for basically the whole ride, and would not stop whining.

The rollercoaster was literally ten feet off the ground. Hangyul, Wooseok, and Yohan were laughing so hard they almost forgot to get off the ride. 

"Legends say that the echoes of his screams have never left the walls of Lotte World," ends Seungwoo.

"Aw, shut up," says Seungyoun, shoving him.

"He's not wrong. I went back there two weeks ago; the employees recognized me and asked me if I was the guy with 'the friend who was scared of the kiddie roller coaster'," interjects Yohan.

"They did _not_ ," replies Seungyoun indignantly.

Wooseok can barely hold back his laughter. "They did! I was there!"

Hangyul can see Seungyoun getting a little upset, so he sits up. "Okay, everyone, settle down. Yohan, why don't you tell us your favorite memory of Seungyoun?"

"Ping-pong," says Yohan innocently. With one word, every head at the table snaps to attention.

"Oh no," murmurs Seungwoo.

Seungyoun's already got his head in his hands, and Wooseok is drowning his sorrows with the rest of his beer, but Yohan forges on.

"This March and April. Thirty-two days of pure hell and thirty-two days of memories we will never forget."

"You sound like a fucking movie trailer, just get on with it," says Wooseok, mostly to himself. Yohan shoots him a dirty look and continues in the same fashion.

Hangyul prefers not to remember the awfulness of the group's ping-pong phase, but at the same time he doesn't think it'll ever leave his mind.

It had all started because of Seungyoun. Of course it was Seungyoun’s fault; as the unofficial leader and designated crazy one of the group, he was always roping them into his random new hobbies. Bungee jumping, crocheting, bowling; you name it, Seungyoun had tried it and made his friends try it too. But ping-pong… ping-pong was different. Seungyoun had been absolutely convinced that _this_ would be the one to end them all, and they could finally pursue a hobby without giving up on it after a week. He couldn’t possibly have predicted how badly it would go.

It began as a perfectly normal activity; they were learning as they went, but it was alright. The group would play a game every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays—sometimes Yohan would bring his roommate, and other times Seungwoo would bring his friends from work. They had set up a table in Seungyoun and Hangyul’s apartment, stocked with plenty of the orange ping-pong balls they had come to know and love.

But it had all come crashing down (literally) when a certain self-named “spicy pork and white rice” duo of drunk pranksters decided that it would be a fun April Fool’s joke to hide all the ping-pong balls. The only problem? After they sobered up, they completely forgot where they had put the balls.

Hangyul had walked into his apartment that night after class with the rest of the gang, all ready for a friendly game of ping-pong, but instead he was faced with a panicked Yohan warning them not to step any further into the apartment. He and Seungyoun revealed the prank and their mistake, and the game was canceled because they couldn’t play ping-pong without something to hit.

Hangyul thought the whole thing was over. They would just go out the next day and buy more balls, and the next game that week would resume like nothing had happened. Until he opened the cabinet in his bathroom and a single ping-pong ball fell out.

“Seungyoun?” he called.

“Yes, baby?” came the reply.

“What the hell did you do?”

Seungyoun had come running in, and upon seeing the singular ping-pong ball in the sink, promptly laid down on the floor and began groaning. Apparently, in his and Yohan’s drunken stupor, they had hidden the balls all over the apartment. As in, _hundreds_ of ping-pong balls, and somehow not a single one could be found unless it was by accident.

Over the next few weeks, having guests over was a nightmare. Anytime Yohan visited, he would find upwards of ten ping-pong balls and laugh his ass off over every single one. Seungyoun would have to warn people about the problem as soon as they walked in the door, or risk hearing terrified screams when they flushed the toilet and heard rattling from the tank (neither Hangyul nor Seungyoun wanted to reach in there and take the ping-pong balls out).

Nighttime was the worst. Sometimes the couple would be woken three or four times a night by that awful dink-dink-dink sound. Hangyul was pretty sure that he never wanted to see a ping-pong ball again.

“And that,” Yohan finishes, “is the reason I have no idea why Hangyul is still friends with me.”

Hangyul grins. “Yeah, dumbass, you better be glad about that. We still find those damn things in our apartment every once in a while.”

“Still?” asks Seungwoo incredulously. “I remember when Wooseok tried to cook for us… it took him almost ten minutes to notice that there were three ping-pong balls just sitting there in the rice.”

“I noticed way before that,” smirks Seungyoun. “I just wanted to see if he would.”

“You asshole!” Wooseok smacks him playfully. “We could have been poisoned!”

“And that’s my fault how?”

“You’re the one who hid them there.”

“Actually, that was Yohan.”

Yohan scoffs. “You and I both know I’m not smart enough to think of a hiding place as good as that.”

“He’s got a point,” shrugs Hangyul.

Seungwoo laughs. “Idiots. I’m just glad I didn’t have to live in that apartment.”

"Yeah, it sucked.” Seungyoun rolls his eyes, smiling, and then abruptly changes the subject. "Anyway, Hangyul… I want to know what your favorite memory of me is."

Hangyul doesn't hesitate before answering. "IKEA."

Seungyoun lets out an audible "awww" and hugs his boyfriend. Hangyul can't tell if he's starting to get drunk or if this is just his normal reaction to stuff like this.

He tells a short but sweet story, not because he doesn't want to elaborate, but because his memory isn't as funny or crazy as some of the others. If it were up to him, he could go on for hours about how special this day was to him.

It was a few months before their second school year as a couple would begin, and Hangyul and Seungyoun had decided to move in together. They had found a quaint apartment not too far from their university and planned to move in as soon as the fall semester began. There was only one thing they needed: furniture.

Neither of them had ever gone to IKEA before, but someone or other had told them that it was a great place to furnish their apartment, so there they were. The place was gigantic as they walked up to it, a looming blue and yellow building.

Once they went inside, however, it all became a bit of an adventure. They sat on as many couches as they could, spun on dozens of office chairs, ran their hands over all the rugs they found. They had a competition to find the wackiest Swedish furniture names (Hangyul loved GRÖNLID, Seungyoun thought VONSBÄK was better). They traveled from room to room, pretending they lived in a huge mansion with hundreds of bedrooms and kitchens.

The two followed the arrows on the floor religiously, buying something from every section. Soon they had furniture for their whole apartment, and even then they continued exploring.

Hangyul sat down on one of the beds in a mock bedroom, pulling Seungyoun's wrist to make him sit too. The room was quite secluded, but open at the same time, fluorescent light shining through the pink paper walls and ceiling exposing the gray wiring of the store.

"You know," Hangyul said, "shopping here makes it feel like we’re moving in together for real."

"But we are moving in together for real," replied Seungyoun.

"Yeah, but…” Hangyul paused. "You know what I mean. The 'having a future together' kind of real."

Seungyoun looked into Hangyul's eyes. "Hangyul, you know I love you. And you know that we do have a future together, whatever that may be. We've been boyfriends for almost two years now; I don't ever want to let go of you."

"I know. I don't want to let go of you either. I just think about what'll happen after college sometimes."

"Only time can tell. But"—Seungyoun winked—"time _thinks_ that things will work out just the way we want them to. Now come on, let's go get some lunch. Time can't think about anything unless he's got a full stomach."

The couple left an hour later, shopping bags filled with potted plants and wooden folding chairs, and both of them fell asleep on the train ride back. When they returned, they set up a bookshelf or two and filled some drawers with silverware. Hangyul thought it felt just like home.

"It was nothing special, really," he says, looking at Seungyoun. His friends nod in agreement, but Seungyoun knows how important the memory is.

He smiles, and Hangyul leans on his shoulder. "I love you," he whispers. Seungyoun whispers it back.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Damn, I don't think I've had this many drinks since I was in college," says Seungyoun, taking in the array of brightly-colored shots, tiny glasses glinting under the flashing lights of the club.

"Grad school still counts as college," reminds Hangyul.

Seungyoun smirks as a response. He holds up a shot, the others following.

"To Seungyoun!" Yohan toasts, downing his bright blue drink.

"Happy birthday, Seungyounie," says Seungwoo, patting him on the back.

"Thanks," grins Seungyoun. 

"Now let's get this party started!" yells Wooseok, dragging Seungyoun onto the dance floor. Yohan pumps a fist in agreement and follows along with Seungwoo and Hangyul.

It feels just like the first time Hangyul went clubbing with Seungyoun. Everything else faded away: the people, the noise, the whole club save for one man standing in the middle of the dance floor. Hangyul embraced the moment then and he's embracing it now, watching Seungyoun momentarily because it feels like he's the only one in the whole club. He's dancing his heart out after only five minutes of being there—that's what Hangyul loves so much about him.

The lights are flashing loud, the music's blaring bright. Seungyoun grabs Hangyul's hand and pulls him close and they sway along to the beat as the heavy bass shakes the walls. It's loud and cramped and Hangyul can hardly breathe, but he sees the expression on his boyfriend's face and all of that is worth it. This is what Seungyoun lives for: the thrill of living life and letting go.

Hangyul decides that he needs to let go too, and as Seungyoun slips a glowstick necklace around his neck, he kisses the taller man. It's breathless and messy, but Seungyoun smiles into it anyway (he always does) and keeps moving his body like he owns the dance floor.

Hangyul swings his arm around Wooseok next, and the two bounce around like they're on the moon. Strobe lights or stars, there's honestly no difference. Seungyoun and Seungwoo have gone to get more drinks, and Yohan is probably already at the bar. Hangyul's friends are all drunk at this point; there’s no saving them from the inevitable.

At least they’re fun when they’re drunk. Yohan gets like a little kid: wide-eyed and sensitive and mesmerized by the simplest things. Wooseok is practically the same drunk as he is sober: his sarcasm is even more pronounced, but he curses like a sailor. Seungwoo zones out, turning passive and laid-back and everything that he isn’t normally. And Seungyoun… Hangyul has a love-hate relationship with drunk Seungyoun. His emotions are always heightened; he thinks everything is funny, but he also thinks everything is sad and aggravating and joy-inducing. It’s a lot.

Tonight isn’t too bad, though. Seungyoun just seems to be more in love with Hangyul than ever. They’re dancing close again, and Hangyul feels himself taking in a bit more of Seungyoun's essence with every breath. He’s got Seungyoun’s small hands clasped in his larger ones, spinning his boyfriend around and around until they’re both laughing with exhilaration, the sound disappearing into the music.

The flashing lights are coloring Hangyul’s vision, and he watches Seungyoun turn pink and purple and blue. They’re both lost in the thrill of it all, dancing like nothing else matters. Gravity has let them out of its grasp; Hangyul feels as if he could float up to space if he only jumped. And Seungyoun looks as if he’s already up there with all the galaxies and planets and stars. He’s truly glowing, swaying to the beat coming from his heart.

The group takes a break for a few minutes to drink some more and catch their breaths. Yohan and Wooseok are holding hands—Hangyul does think it’s cute, but he knows that by tomorrow morning they’ll blame it on the alcohol—it's a routine by now. Seungwoo and Seungyoun are taking shots duo-style, arms linked and cat-like smiles on both their faces. Hangyul is just sitting there, watching it all unfold. He notices their outfits—Wooseok in his typical oversized black button-down, Seungwoo and Seungyoun coincidentally matching with black jackets and floral-print shirts, Yohan wearing his favorite leather jacket. 

Suddenly Seungyoun is practically on top of his boyfriend, trying to pull him by the wrist and simultaneously unfasten another button on Hangyul’s white shirt. Hangyul gets up, rolls up his sleeves and takes off his grey jacket, and lets himself be dragged back to the dance floor.

“Dance with me, baby,” whines Seungyoun quietly, and Hangyul obliges, giving in to the galaxy that is Seungyoun’s pleading eyes.

They sway together for the slower songs and bounce for the faster ones, losing themselves every time their feet lift off the floor and finding themselves the moment they come back down. 

Eventually a tired Seungyoun closes his eyes, still dancing, and Hangyul rubs a thumb over his cheek, painting impossibly bright colors onto it. Seungyoun opens his eyes again and smiles softly, and for one fleeting moment Hangyul sees an angel instead of his boyfriend.

“I love you,” he whispers, and for a second he doesn’t think Seungyoun hears, but then he sees Seungyoun’s lips move and knows he’s saying it back. It feels like the first time they said their I Love Yous: they were in a convenience store at six a.m. buying cereal; Seungyoun’s hair was messy and he looked like he had slept in his clothes. Hangyul had been tired too, enough so that he bumped into a display and knocked a dozen snacks down. When Seungyoun bent down to help him pick them up, they made eye contact, and Hangyul’s sleepy brain decided that his boyfriend was undeniably his soulmate. After he said those Three Little Words, Seungyoun’s face broke out into the biggest, happiest smile, and Hangyul wanted to say the words however many more times he needed to just to see that smile again.

Hangyul knows the setting is nowhere near the same, but the feeling absolutely is. His and Seungyoun’s hearts have an invisible connection, and here under these lights, in the midst of this huge crowd, hidden behind the blasting music, it’s more visible than ever.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apparently, drunk Seungwoo is a man of few words, because he’s made a decision with the rest of the group by asking them “Noraebang?” and receiving an answer of the same fashion. Hangyul has no choice but to follow along; they all seem so excited, and he’s not one to make a drunk Yohan cry or anger Wooseok when he’s under the influence.

It’s almost one a.m. by now, but through sheer willpower Seungyoun has managed to lead everyone to his favorite noraebang venue in the area. Upon entering a room, Wooseok and Yohan immediately collapse on the small couch, already half-asleep and groaning.

Seungwoo and Seungyoun, however, are primed to have some fun (Hangyul honestly has no idea how they're not tired). They're standing together at the front of the room, swiping lazily through the songs.

"Ladies and gentlemen," slurs Seungwoo, picking up the mic, "welcome to our concert. We are…" he pauses, struggling to think of a name for the impromptu duo. He goes silent after a moment and looks at Seungyoun.

"We are… SeungSeung!" continues Seungyoun. Then he starts giggling hysterically, and Seungwoo joins in. It goes on for long enough that Hangyul needs to step in and calm them down.

"We're picking a song, don't worry," says Seungwoo, waving the microphone around. Eventually they do choose something, a soft melody with lots of guitar, and Hangyul thinks it's the perfect lullaby. Seungwoo and Seungyoun are somehow in perfect harmony despite their drunkenness, and it sounds more beautiful than it should given that they're in a tiny, dim room with lights that won't stop flickering and walls that are barely soundproof. Hangyul would wonder why it's Seungyoun's favorite noraebang place if not for the fact that everything Seungyoun does has meaning to it.

The song finishes with a final guitar strum, and Hangyul claps dutifully. Wooseok and Yohan are passed out beside him, leaning on each other and smiling softly even in their sleep.

Seungwoo and Seungyoun ask for Hangyul's help in choosing the next song, so he picks a more upbeat one. The two dance along to it (mostly Seungyoun, but Seungwoo is trying) and continue their harmony.

"I can't believe you guys are still perfect singers even when you're drunk," says Hangyul.

"What can I say? I'm a noraebang ace," shrugs Seungwoo, amused.

Hangyul's expecting an answer from Seungyoun, but he seems to be staring into space.

"I have to do it. I have to do it," says Seungyoun rather forcefully to himself.

"Seungyoun? What's wrong?" asks Hangyul.

Seungyoun just looks at him. It seems like there's an extra emotion, something that's not meant to be there. Hangyul brushes it off as an effect of the alcohol, and Seungyoun goes back to grinning in a second.

"Seungwoo, let's do another song," he says cheerfully.

"O-okay," yawns Seungwoo.

They do a ballad this time, something sweet and soulful, and Seungyoun stares into Hangyul's eyes the whole time.

Hangyul enjoys it; honestly, it feels like his boyfriend is serenading him. He doesn't get to see this side of Seungyoun very often—the musical, emotional side. It's usually one or the other. Seungyoun either talks production with him, devoid of any feelings, or he expresses himself, but rarely through song.

As he belts out high notes and clutches the microphone close, Hangyul finally identifies the emotion in his eyes as bittersweetness. He wonders where the bitter part came from, but his worry is just as soon erased as Seungyoun gets down on his knees and sings the last note of the song to Hangyul.

Hangyul smiles brightly, bringing Seungyoun (and Seungwoo, as an afterthought) in for a hug.

"You two should honestly quit your jobs and do music full time."

"But… I _do_ do music full time," says a confused Seungyoun. Hangyul just laughs and leans in closer to his boyfriend, but Seungyoun moves away slightly.

He seems like he's about to say something, but Seungwoo hiccups and interrupts him. "I think I'll go to the bathroom," says the older. "I'll leave you two here." He winks, punctuated by another hiccup.

Hangyul shakes his head. "What does he think we're going to do? This is a public establishment."

Seungyoun laughs, sounding a little nervous. "Hangyul… do you want me to sing you another song?"

"Really?" asks Hangyul. " _The_ Cho Seungyoun? Serenading me? Who could refuse that?"

Seungyoun chooses a love song, sings it the whole way through. Hangyul knows he could listen to Seungyoun's voice for hours. It's clear and versatile, punctuated with airy and low tones simultaneously. Listening to his effortless ad-libs makes chills go down Hangyul's spine, and the amount of control he has over his voice is equivalent to a professional. He could sing a baby to sleep and break a window with his high notes in a moment's difference, and Hangyul admires it like no one else. Seungyoun's voice is unique, and Hangyul takes pride in the fact that he gets to hear it more often than anyone else.

He's so distracted with thoughts of Seungyoun's voice that he doesn't realize the song's ended.

"Seungyoun!" he says, a bit belatedly. "That was beautiful, really. I could go on for hours about how much I love your voice."

"Thank you," says Seungyoun quickly, and Hangyul can tell he has something else to say.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing." He looks away.

"Come on, you know you can tell me anything."

"Fine. Fine, I'll tell you." Seungyoun takes a deep breath and turns toward the wall. When he turns back around, Hangyul sees that his eyes are shining. "Lee Hangyul, I… am in love with you. I've been in love with you ever since we met at that dog-walking job all those years ago, and I can't believe I've waited this long to tell you."

Hangyul moves to say something, but Seungyoun stops him.

"Wait. Before you tell me you love me too, which I know isn't true but you'll say it anyway because you're the nicest person I know, I want to tell you why I love you." He holds up one finger. "One. I love you because you look at me like I'm the only person in the whole entire world. Like I'm yours and you're mine and that's the way it's meant to be. Like-like you're planet Earth, just waiting to orbit around the sun. But Hangyul, I'm not your sun. I don't deserve you because you're so much more than I'll ever be, and it's okay.

"Two. I love the way you write me those little poems. When we're in the car or out shopping or doing whatever together, you'll say something. You'll compliment me, compare me to something like a rose or a thunderstorm. I wish I could save all the pretty things you've said. I want to make a whole collection of them, read them over and over and over. 

"Three. I love when you lean on me. Because I'm taller than you and you make me feel like I'm supporting you. And yes, I know I am, but it's more than that. It's like every time you lean on my chest or my shoulder, you form a little connection with me. And those connections have all built up into a spiderweb of love and—oh, god, that doesn't sound romantic at all. 

"Just… four. I love everything about you, Hangyul. Your little idiosyncrasies, habits, traits. The way you always stop to pet the stray cats on the street. The way you care for your little brother. The way you share your notes with people whenever they've missed classes. The way you take an extra twenty minutes coming back home because you want to buy me my favorite snack. The way you're curious about music, always interested in what I do. The way you support me with whatever my hobbies are, no matter how ridiculous. You don't have to, but you do anyway. And sometimes I feel like I'm a burden because of that. Like you'd be better off if I weren't around. And maybe… maybe I shouldn't have confessed at all, because now you have this extra weight to deal with and it's all my fault and-" Seungyoun's voice falters and a tear slips from his eye.

Hangyul wraps his arms around Seungyoun as if he's trying to hug all the sadness out of him. "Seungyoun, baby, I love you more than anything. You're not a burden. What would the earth be without his sun?" he murmurs. Seungyoun sniffles, the smallest hint of a smile on his face.

When he stops crying, he pulls away from Hangyul and faces him. "Hangyul, can I ask you something? And can you tell the truth?"

"Of course."

"Will you… will you be my boyfriend?"

Hangyul tries his best to stay serious, but he bursts out laughing, doubling over every time he sees Seungyoun's confused face again.

"Honey, you're drunk."

"I am? Is that why you're laughing?"

"No, it's…"

"It's what?"

Hangyul sighs, still grinning. "Seungyoun, we've been boyfriends for more than two years."

The look of relief and joy on Seungyoun's face is something Hangyul hasn't seen since that very first "I love you", and he can honestly say he wouldn't miss it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> i got this prompt (#41) from the midnight stories seungyul fic fest on twitter and i'm really excited to finally share it with everyone because writing it was such a journey. huge thanks to [swimnayeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swimnayeon), i honestly could not have done this without their help every step of the way. hope you liked my fic <3


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